Hoshinoya Tokyo, a traditional ryokan in Otemachi, has announced the New Year’s Kabuki Plan, a two-day, one-night stay from January 5 until January 7, 2023. During the Edo Period, citizens enjoyed watching Kabuki plays during the New Year’s holidays, often sipping tea at connected teahouses. This event will invite visitors to experience what this was like, complete with traditional food and decorations.

Watching Kabuki was a chic way for those in Edo to ring in the new year. Theater teahouses were also a popular gathering place–along with arranging tickets, the teahouses offered plot notes, tea, sweets, boxed lunches, snacks, and other drinks.*

*Hiroshi Fujita, Yoshihide Tomizawa (2012) / The Updated Kabuki Dictionary, Kashiwa Shobo

Relax Before Enjoying Tea and a Play

Guests are invited to relax in the Ochanoma (Living Room) Lounge, decorated to look like a traditional teahouse with fans, ukiyo-e prints, and formal curtains. Hanabiramochi, or rice cakes with flower petals, will be served with green tea. These rice cakes are said to date back to the New Year’s tradition of eating hard foods like daikon and rice cakes in the hopes of prolonging one’s life. Characterized by its curious burdock root aroma, the cakes are sweetened with white miso bean paste. 

Enjoy a Post-Viewing Mont Blanc Shaped like Soba with Sweet Dessert Wine

At theater teahouses in the Edo period, sake, snacks, and desserts were served one after another. During this special event, a menu inspired by this practice and prepared by Hoshinoya Tokyo Executive Chef Noriyuki Hamada will be served! Soba noodles were often served after a play in the past. Inspired by this tradition, Mont Blanc made with chestnut paste and sponge cake will be served up to look like this popular dish. Paired with a dessert wine aged in oak barrels, the sweet will be served in a traditional lacquerware basket. In addition, the dish will be paired with Wasabi Pralines, Shichimi Meringue, and Ginger Pate de Fruits. 

Take a Rickshaw to the Kabuki-za Theater

Guests will be taken on an Edo-style tour on their way to the Kabuki-za Theater. Passing through the Nihonbashi area, the first stop will be the Fukutoku Shrine. It’s said that Hidetada Tokugawa paid a visit to and praised the shrine on New Year’s Day in 1614. The next shrine on the docket, Hodo Inari Jinja, was enshrined in Edo Castle during the Edo period to protect the heir to the Tokugawa family. It’s said that the shrine provides blessings for child rearing, matchmaking, and business prosperity. 

This tour will provide a more elegant way to explore Tokyo as guests enjoy exposition from their chauffeur. To make the rickshaw ride even more enjoyable, guests can rent kimonos for an extra charge.

Would you like to take a step back in time this New Year?

For four days only starting in February 2023, fans of Hatsune Miku will want to take an incredible night cruise around Tokyo Bay. The virtual singer will collaborate with the popular Tokyo Bay Night Cruise which travels between Yokohama and Tokyo. The event will include special tickets, exclusive bonuses for guests, collaborative goods, and onboard decorations. Collaborative goods will be available to purchase on the ship or from the Shimapochi online store.

Outline

Dates: February 19, February 26, March 5, March 12

Night Cruise Itinerary:

Osanbashi, Yokohama / Check-in 16:00-18:00

Osanbashi, Yokohama / Departure 18:10, Enjoy the night view from the ship

Takeshiba Wharf, Tokyo / Arrival 19:45

*Guests will be led by a special MC narrating the night scenery. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.

Special Ticket Fare:

Adults ¥2,000 / Children ¥1,500 (Includes consumption tax and fuel price adjusted for inflation)

[Includes Hatsune Miku Collaboration Sticker and Postcard (6 varieties, random)]

Special tickets featuring Hatsune Miku will only be available to those reserving their spot online. Reservations can be made two months prior to the boarding date. Space is extremely limited, so grab a spot while you can!

Those not interested in bonuses can also enjoy a night cruise during this period, with adult tickets costing ¥1,000 and children’s tickets costing ¥500. More details will be released at a later date.

Kobe is filled with famous sightseeing spots like the nostalgic Ijinkan neighborhood and port. The city is packed with fashionable shops and restaurants and is highly regarded for its selection of tasty sweets!

The port city, with over 150 years of history, has fostered a unique and diverse culinary culture.

Recently, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu began starring in a series of promotional videos for the Gastropolis Kobe project. The artist traveled to the city to partake in plenty of delicious treats, and MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON went along for the ride! Here are some of the singer’s favorite spots around town.

Kobe, known as a city where East meets West, is lined with sweets shops that are unique to the area.

The tea salon TOOTH TOOTH Dekoboko Sabo opened in 2019 in the Kobe City Museum and offers a menu that mixes Western food and sweets with tea and ingredients from traditional Japanese cuisine. Kyary ordered the Dekoboko Sabo Afternoon Tea Set, a collection of western sweets blended with the essence of traditional Japanese flavors. Guests are invited to enjoy their tea and sweets in a one-of-a-kind space filled with Meiji period flare and retro Western furniture. Those interested will need to make a reservation, so be sure to remember the next time you’re in Kobe.

TOOTH TOOTH Decoboco Sabo

Address: 24 Kyomachi, Chuo Ward, Kobe (Inside the Kobe City Museum)

Hours: 9:30-17:30 (Last Order at 16:30) 

Closed Mondays

Official Site: https://toothtooth.com/restaurant/decoboco-sabo

The next stop was Kobe Nankin-machi, one of the three major Chinatowns in Japan. Kobe MILK is known nationwide for its Apricot Pudding, which is made with local ingredients. The raw apricot pudding is mixed with milk brought from the foot of Mt. Rokko and other ingredients from Hyogo Prefecture. Of course, Kyary ordered some, and was amazed by its fluffy texture. You can only enjoy it in Kobe–also, the shop sells other puddings mixed with seasonal fruits, so don’t miss those either!

Kobe MILK

Address: Shin-Motomachi Building 1F (1 Motomachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe)

Hours: Weekdays 9:30-19:00 / Weekends 9:30-19:30

Official Site: https://kobe-milk.com

For Kyary’s final stop, the singer visited the Moore House, a cafe located in a building with over 100 years of history. Guests are surrounded by greenery, and the Western-style building is incredibly elegant. The Strawberry Mille-feuille Kyary ordered was created by an expert patissier and based on the strawberry mille-feuille recipe from the legendary French restaurant Maxim’s de Paris in Ginza. A generous amount of custard cream complements the crispy pie crust and enhances the sweetness of the fresh strawberries. We’d recommend it with a glass of champagne–if you’re of age.

Kitano Ijin-kan Moore House

Address: 2-9-3 Kitanocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe

Hours: 11:00-17:00

Closed Tuesdays

Official Site: https://www.kitanomoore.com/cafe/

The streets of Kobe are packed with sweets that you can only enjoy if you visit. Why not come experience these incredible spots like Kyary did?

Kobe Sweets Trailer: https://youtu.be/Sx9B1ZdAvlI

ANNA’S by Landtmann, a cafe located inside +Q Beauty on the 6th floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, has begun selling two Halloween cakes! These spooky sweets will be available until October 31, 2022.

Halloween Mont Blanc

Halloween Poison Apple

Guests will be able to snag the Halloween Mont Blanc and Halloween Poison Apple cakes, available for ¥580 each including tax. The Mont Blanc is filled with pumpkin custard and Chantilly cream. The Poison Apple is a sweet and sour cake featuring a blend of chocolate mousse covered in red glaze and applesauce with apple pulp.

Which of these two adorable cakes would you like to enjoy this autumn?

Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo will hold a special Christmas-themed Sylvanian Families buffet starting November 1, 2022. This is the second Sylvanian Families event following the previous Halloween-themed buffet, which became extremely popular. Some guests even bring their own Sylvanian Families dolls!

Starting in November, visitors can enjoy a full lineup of 20 scrumptious dishes inspired by the cake shop found in Sylvania Village. Some sweets are also inspired by the many beloved characters found in the series, and anyone wanting to get into the Christmas spirit won’t want to miss this exclusive event. For those without a sweet tooth, some light lunches will also be available.

The restaurant will also erect a decorative display of Sylvanian Families enjoying a Christmas party and a sweet diorama made exclusively of desserts by the pasty chef. Guests can enjoy tea time while getting lost in this magical world, so get excited about the Christmas season!

1. Sweets Inspired by the World of Sylvanian Families

2. Become Enthralled by a Wonderful Winter World of Sweets

3. Exclusive! Sweets Diorama and Sylvanian Families Photo Spot

4. Light Meals Perfect for Winter and Burgers Featuring Original Illustrations

5. A Special Plan to Enjoy the Buffet with Sylvanian Families Babies

Nagasaki’s Huis Ten Bosch is now offering up some tasty and colorful autumn sweets! Visitors can enjoy the feel of an authentic European Halloween at the Netherlands-inspired theme park for a limited time only. 

Forest Fantasia Cafe’s Sorciere Sweet Potato au Lait

Cafe Deli Plus’s Halloween Party Parfait

Madame Chocolat’s Special Halloween Parfait at the Former Residence of Madame Chocolat

Chestnut Witch Hat at Bikken Bikken

Akanbe Burger at Bikken Bikken

The Exciting Halloween Burger with Colorful Veggies and Pumpkin at dam

Jack-o’-lantern Shrimp Cheese Fondue at Gokuu

Halloween Lunch and Dessert Buffet at Anchors Lounge

Ghostly Forest Carnival Pasta at Pinoccio

Halloween Ghost Curry at Tottotto

This Halloween menu features a wide variety of seasonal ingredients. Why not enjoy the autumn season to the fullest by having your fill?

In conjunction with the autumn segment of Setouchi Triennale 2022, the Yokai Halloween 2022 event will be held for the first time at the Yokai Art Museum in Shodoshima in Kagawa. During the event, guests can take part in the Halloween Night Yokai Tour on Saturdays, which will invite them to transform into terrifying ghouls! Each guest will receive a yokai mask and will be tasked to test their courage in this unique Halloween event. Those visiting the museum in costume will receive a discount, and visitors can also enjoy some spooky treats at the Yokai Bar. This is one museum horror fans won’t want to miss!

Visit the Yokai Art Museum at Night 

Unlike daytime, the Yokai Art Museum is filled with a mysterious energy at night. With a flashlight in hand, staff members will lead guests on a tour through the museum, which exhibits more than 800 yokai sculptures. Visitors can wear yokai masks and costumes, and unlike a haunted house, you won’t need to worry about yokai jumping out at you. However, the staff may ask you to keep an eye out for anything mysterious. Guests are permitted to take as many photos as they like inside the museum, so be sure to share your experience on social media!

Too Realistic! Enjoy Finger Cookies at the Yokai Bar

At the Yokai Bar attached to the museum, guests can find these terrifying finger cookies! These were made in collaboration with FUJI, a popular snack shop in Shidoshima. While tasty, they might be a little too realistic for some people. These will be available in two flavors: spicy and sweet. 

Rent a Halloween Lantern for Free

A Night Walk through the Shidoshima Maze will invite visitors to carry a Halloween-themed lantern through the town. This event is being held to promote tourism in the town at night, and lanterns will be free to rent! These will be available in different colors from the first floor of the nearby Shodoshima International Hotel. Shodoshima, known as the City of Mazes, has over 60 streets with three-way intersections and many mysterious alleys. Walking through the town at night will be an experience you’ll never forget, especially during the spookiest time of the year!

Digital art collective NAKED will hold a special Halloween projection mapping show at Tokyo Tower! The Tokyo Tower City Light Fantasia ~Halloween Party 2022~ event will run from September 16 until October 31 on the 2nd floor of the tower’s main deck. 

NAKED has collaborated with Tokyo Tower in the past to create shows inspired by the seasons. These incredible illuminations captivate audiences at night, and this fall, visitors will be captivated by autumn leaves dancing in the breeze along with silvergrass swaying and the sound of chirping insects. The scene will eventually change into something more spooky–a ghost will appear alongside witches, bats, and pumpkins! The main deck will be enveloped in Halloween colors perfect for a fall photoshoot!

From October 21 until November 30, 2022, Hilton Tokyo Odaiba will hold the Touken Ranbu ONLINE Special Buffet ~Black & White~ event! This second collaboration with the popular series will be held Grillogy Bar and Grill on the second floor.

Dessert Menu

Drink Menu

Drink Order Bonus: Original Coaster (8 varieties)

At the buffet, guests can enjoy luxurious dishes inspired by characters from the sword-centered game and anime series. The desserts blend Japanese and Western cuisine, and special cocktails will be available during the first phase, each coming with a special coaster as a bonus! In addition, original goods will be on sale at the venue, so don’t miss it!

Yokohama Coffee Festival is coming back for the first time in three years! The event will bring together the best coffee from around Japan, showing off the personality and individuality of each shop. The festival was created to build bridges between shops and customers and to spread coffee culture in Yokohama. Coffee fans should head to Yokohama Park on October 23, 2022. 

Coffee tickets–four cups for ¥1,000–will be available to purchase on the day of the event, allowing visitors to compare different shops. From those who are just starting to enjoy coffee to those who are coffee fanatics, this event will allow everyone to enjoy coffee to the max! Be sure to chat with the charming baristas as you explore the festival!

From September 9 until November 1, Sanrio Puroland is celebrating the spookiest season of the year with the Puro Halloween event. On the first day of the event, guests immediately showed up to enjoy the new additions to the park, including the light show, Halloween photo spot, and an exclusive food menu filled with autumn flavors. 

The theme of this year’s event is the popular Halloween phrase “Trick or Treat!” Popular Sanrio characters are all dressed up in spooky costumes, with each joining Team Trick or Team Treat!

First Set of Seasonal Goods (Costume ver.)

Light Show

At Puro Village, guests can see the incredible Trick or Treat light show, perfect for getting into the Halloween mood!

Fairyland Theater will present the new ‘Let’s Trick or Treat’ stage show as well, with Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel dressed in new costumes as they dance and play games with each other.

Special Greeting

‘Vampire Butler Cafe ~Broken Rules~’ Immersive Horror Experience

Along with these new shows, those looking for a fright can visit the Vampire Butler Cafe, Puroland’s first immersive horror show featuring handsome actors dressed as vampires. This will only be open after Puroland closes, and only on select dates. Younger children can also enjoy a special candy-catching event sure to excite!

Starting October 1, a Halloween version of the Mewkledreamy March stage show will wow audiences. Everyone’s favorite characters Mew, Peko, and Su will appear in new costumes, so don’t miss it!

Limited Time Food Menu

Limited Time Photo Spot

In the Rainbow Hall on the third floor, guests can take pictures a bright orange and purple photo spot. In the Character Food Court on the first floor, new menu items are available, served on decorated tables. The limited food menu offers everything from Meatball Curry to a Luxurious Sweet Potato Parfait. If you like autumn treats, be sure to enjoy while taking some pictures to post on social media!

Come enjoy the Halloween season with your favorite Sanrio characters, and don’t forget to say “Trick or Treat!” 

© 2022 SANRIO CO., LTD. TOKYO, JAPAN MMP,TX 著作 株式会社サンリオ

From October 1 until October 31, Yokohama Royal Park Hotel will hold a special Halloween Fair at its delicatessen and lounge Coffret. In addition to six playful sweets from the Halloween Frankenstein to the Halloween Mummy, two types of autumn bread featuring pumpkin and purple sweet potato will be available, allowing guests to enjoy the taste of the season!

Halloween Frankenstein

Halloween Cat

Halloween Mont Blanc

Halloween Mummy

Halloween Pudding

Halloween Pound Cake

Pumpkin Cream Fondue / Halloween Anpan

Come enjoy this Halloween with some cute and silly sweets!